Afterthisafrigatecameintoview——theEuryalus——sailinginthesamedirection。Annesatdown，andhereyesneverlefttheships。
’TellmemoreabouttheVictory，’shesaid。
’Sheisthebestsailerintheservice，andshecarriesahundredguns。Theheaviestbeonthelowerdeck，thenextsizeonthemiddledeck，thenextonthemainandupperdecks。MysonNed’splaceisonthelowerdeck，becausehe’sshort，andtheyputtheshortmenbelow。’
Bob，thoughnottall，wasnotlikelytobespeciallyselectedforshortness。Shepicturedhimontheupperdeck，inhissnow-whitetrousersandjacketofnavyblue，lookingperhapstowardstheverypointoflandwhereshethenwas。
Thegreatsilentship，withherpopulationofblue-jackets，marines，officers，captain，andtheadmiralwhowasnottoreturnalive，passedlikeaphantomthemeridianoftheBill。Sometimesheraspectwasthatofalargewhitebat，sometimesthatofagreyone。
Inthecourseoftimethewatchinggirlsawthattheshiphadpassedhernearestpoint；thebreadthofhersailsdiminishedbyforeshortening，tillsheassumedtheformofaneggonend。Afterthissomethingseemedtotwinkle，andAnne，whohadpreviouslywithdrawnfromtheoldsailor，wentbacktohim，andlookedagainthroughtheglass。Thetwinklingwasthelightfallinguponthecabinwindowsoftheship’sstern。Sheexplainedittotheoldman。
’Thenweseenowwhattheenemyhaveseenbutonce。Thatwasinseventy-nine，whenshesightedtheFrenchandSpanishfleetoffScilly，andsheretreatedbecauseshefearedalanding。Well，’tisabraveshipandshecarriesbravemen！’
Anne’stenderbosomheaved，butshesaidnothing，andagainbecameabsorbedincontemplation。
TheVictorywasfastdroppingaway。Shewasonthehorizon，andsoonappearedhulldown。Thatseemedtobelikethebeginningofagreaterendthanherpresentvanishing。AnneGarlandcouldnotstaybythesailoranylonger，andwentaboutastone’s-throwoff，whereshewashiddenbytheinequalityoftheclifffromhisview。Thevesselwasnowexactlyendon，andstoodoutinthedirectionoftheStart，herwidthhavingcontractedtotheproportionofafeather。
Shesatdownagain，andmechanicallytookoutsomebiscuitsthatshehadbrought，foreseeingthatherwaitingmightbelong。Butshecouldnoteatoneofthem；eatingseemedtojarwiththementaltensenessofthemoment；andherundeviatinggazecontinuedtofollowthelessenedshipwiththefidelityofabalancedneedletoamagneticstone，allelseinherbeingmotionless。
ThecoursesoftheVictorywereabsorbedintothemain，thenhertopsailswent，andthenhertop-gallants。Shewasnownomorethanadeadfly’swingonasheetofspider’sweb；andeventhisfragmentdiminished。Annecouldhardlybeartoseetheend，andyetsheresolvednottoflinch。Theadmiral’sflagsankbehindthewateryline，andinaminutetheverytruckofthelasttopmaststoleaway。
TheVictorywasgone。
Anne’slipquiveredasshemurmured，withoutremovingherweteyesfromthevacantandsolemnhorizon，’“Theythatgodowntotheseainships，thatdobusinessingreatwaters——“’
’“TheseseetheworksoftheLord，andHiswondersinthedeep，“’
wasreturnedbyaman’svoicefrombehindher。
Lookingroundquickly，shesawasoldierstandingthere；andthegraveeyesofJohnLovedaybentonher。
’’TiswhatIwasthinking，’shesaid，tryingtobecomposed。
’Youweresayingit，’heansweredgently。
’WasI？——Ididnotknowit……Howcameyouhere？’shepresentlyadded。
’Ihavebeenbehindyouagoodwhile；butyouneverturnedround。’
’Iwasdeeplyoccupied，’shesaidinanundertone。
’Yes——Itoocametoseehimpass。IheardthismorningthatLordNelsonhadembarked，andIknewatoncethattheywouldsailimmediately。TheVictoryandEuryalusaretojointherestofthefleetatPlymouth。Therewasagreatcrowdofpeopleassembledtoseetheadmiraloff；theycheeredhimandtheshipasshedroppeddown。Hetookhiscoffinonboardwithhim，theysay。’
’Hiscoffin！’saidAnne，turningdeadlypale。’Somethingterrible，then，ismeantbythat！O，whywouldBobgointhatship？doomedtodestructionfromtheverybeginninglikethis！’
’ItwashisdeterminationtosailunderCaptainHardy，andundernooneelse，’saidJohn。’Theremaybehotwork；butwemusthopeforthebest。’Andobservinghowwretchedshelooked，headded，’Butwon’tyouletmehelpyouback？IfyoucanwalkasfarasHopeCoveitwillbeenough。Alerretisgoingfromthereacrossthebayhomewardtotheharbourinthecourseofanhour；itbelongstoamanIknow，andtheycantakeonepassenger，Iamsure。’
SheturnedherbackupontheChannel，andbyhishelpsoonreachedtheplaceindicated。Theboatwaslyingthereashehadsaid。ShefoundittobelongtotheoldmanwhohadbeenwithherattheBill，andwasinchargeofhistwoyoungersons。Thetrumpet-majorhelpedherintoitovertheslipperyblocksofstone，oneoftheyoungmenspreadhisjacketforhertositon，andassoonastheypulledfromshoreJohnclimbeduptheblue-greycliff，anddisappearedoverthetop，toreturntothemainlandbyroad。
Annewasinthetownbythreeo’clock。Thetripinthesternofthelerrethadquiterefreshedher，withthehelpofthebiscuits，whichshehadatlastbeenabletoeat。ThevanfromtheporttoOvercombedidnotstarttillfouro’clock，andfeelingnofurtherinterestinthegaietiesoftheplace，shestrolledonpasttheKing’shousetotheoutskirts，hermindsettlingdownagainuponthepossiblysadfateoftheVictorywhenshefoundherselfalone。Shedidnothurryon；andfindingthatevennowtherewantedanotherhalf-hourtothecarrier’stime，sheturnedintoalittlelanetoescapetheinspectionofthenumerouspassers-by。Hereallwasquitelonelyandstill，andshesatdownunderawillow-tree，absentlyregardingthelandscape，whichhadbeguntoputontherichtonesofdecliningsummer，butwhichtoherwasashollowandfadedasatheatrebyday。Shecouldholdoutnolonger；buryingherfaceinherhands，sheweptwithoutrestraint。
Someyardsbehindherwasalittlespringofwater，havingastonemarginroundittopreventthecattlefromtreadinginthesidesandfillingitupwithdirt。Whileshewept，twoelderlygentlemenenteredunperceiveduponthescene，andwalkedontothespring’sbrink。Heretheypausedandlookedin，afterwardsmovingroundit，andthenstoopingasiftosmellortasteitswaters。Thespringwas，infact，asulphurousone，thenrecentlydiscoveredbyaphysicianwholivedintheneighbourhood；anditwasbeginningtoattractsomeattention，havingbycommonreportcontributedtoeffectsuchwonderfulcuresasalmostpassedbelief。Afteraconsiderablediscussion，apparentlyonhowthepoolmightbeimprovedforbetteruse，oneofthetwoelderlygentlementurnedaway，leavingtheotherstillprobingthespringwithhiscane。Thefirststranger，whoworeabluecoatwithgiltbuttons，cameoninthedirectionofAnneGarland，andseeinghersadposturewentquicklyuptoher，andsaidabruptly，’Whatisthematter？’
Anne，whoinhergriefhadobservednothingofthegentlemen’spresence，withdrewherhandkerchieffromhereyesandstartedtoherfeet。SheinstantlyrecognisedherinterrogatorastheKing。
’What，what，crying？’hisMajestyinquiredkindly。’Howisthis！’
’I——haveseenadearfriendgoaway，sir，’shefaltered，withdowncasteyes。
’Ah——partingsaresad——verysad——forusall。Youmusthopeyourfriendwillreturnsoon。Whereisheorshegone？’
’Idon’tknow，yourMajesty。’
’Don’tknow——howisthat？’
’HeisasailoronboardtheVictory。’
’Thenhehasreasontobeproud，’saidtheKingwithinterest。’Heisyourbrother？’
Annetriedtoexplainwhathewas，butcouldnot，andblushedwithpainfulheat。
’Well，well，well；whatishisname？’
InspiteofAnne’sconfusionandlowspirits，herwomanlyshrewdnesstoldheratoncethatnoharmcouldbedonebyrevealingBob’sname；
andsheanswered，’HisnameisRobertLoveday，sir。’
’Loveday——agoodname。Ishallnotforgetit。Nowdryyourcheeks，anddon’tcryanymore。Loveday——RobertLoveday。’
Annecurtseyed，theKingsmiledgood-humouredly，andturnedtorejoinhiscompanion，whowasafterwardsheardtobeDr——，thephysicianinattendanceatGloucesterLodge。Thisgentlemanhadinthemeantimefilledasmallphialwiththemedicinalwater，whichhecarefullyplacedinhispocket；andontheKingcominguptheyretiredtogetheranddisappeared。ThereuponAnne，nowthoroughlyaroused，followedthesamewaywithagingerlytread，justintimetoseethemgetintoacarriagewhichwasinwaitingattheturningofthelane。
Shequiteforgotthecarrier，andeverythingelseinconnexionwithridinghome。Flyingalongtheroadrapidlyandunconsciously，whensheawoketoasenseofherwhereaboutsshewassoneartoOvercombeastomakethecarriernotworthwaitingfor。ShehadbeenborneupinthishastyspurtattheendofawearydaybyvisionsofBobpromotedtotherankofadmiral，orsomethingequallywonderful，bytheKing’sspecialcommand，thechiefresultofthepromotionbeing，inherarrangementofthepiece，thathewouldstayathomeandgotoseanomore。Butshewasnotagirlwhoindulgedinextravagantfancieslong，andbeforeshereachedhomeshethoughtthattheKinghadprobablyforgottenherbythattime，andhertroubles，andherlover’sname。
XXXV。ASAILORENTERS
TheremainingfortnightofthemonthofSeptemberpassedaway，withageneraldeclinefromthesummer’sexcitements。Theroyalfamilyleftthewatering-placethefirstweekinOctober，theGermanLegionwiththeirartilleryaboutthesametime。Thedragoonsstillremainedatthebarracksjustoutofthetown，andJohnLovedaybroughttoAnneeverynewspaperthathecouldlayhandson，especiallysuchascontainedanyfragmentofshippingnews。Thisthrewthemmuchtogether；andatthesetimesJohnwasoftenawkwardandconfused，onaccountoftheunwontedstressofconcealinghisgreatloveforher。
HerinterestshadgrandlydevelopedfromthelimitsofOvercombeandthetownlifehardby，toanextensivenesstrulyEuropean。DuringthewholemonthofOctober，however，notasinglegrainofinformationreachedher，oranybodyelse，concerningNelsonandhisblockadingsquadronoffCadiz。TherewerethecustomarybadjokesaboutBuonaparte，especiallywhenitwasfoundthatthewholeFrencharmyhadturneditsbackuponBoulogneandsetoutfortheRhine。
ThencameaccountsofhismarchthroughGermanyandintoAustria；
butnotawordabouttheVictory。
AtthebeginningofautumnJohnbroughtnewswhichfearfullydepressedher。TheAustrianGeneralMackhadcapitulatedwithhiswholearmy。Thenwererevivedtheoldmisgivingsastoinvasion。
’Insteadofhavingtocopewithhimwearywithwaiting，weshallhavetoencounterThisManfreshfromthefieldsofvictory，’ranthenewspaperarticle。
Buttheweekwhichhadledoffwithsuchadrearypipingwastoendinanotherkey。OntheverydaywhenMack’sarmywaspilingarmsatthefeetofitsconqueror，ablowhadbeenstruckbyBobLovedayandhiscomradeswhicheternallyshatteredtheenemy’sforcebysea。
FourdaysafterthereceiptoftheAustriannewsCorporalTullidgeranintothemiller’shousetoinformhimthatonthepreviousMonday，ateleveninthemorning，thePickleschooner，LieutenantLapenotiere，hadarrivedatFalmouthwithdespatchesfromthefleet；
thatthestage-coachesonthehighwaythroughWessextoLondonwerechalkedwiththewords’GreatVictory！’’GloriousTriumph！’andsoon；andthatallthecountrypeoplewerewildtoknowparticulars。
OnFridayafternoonJohnarrivedwithauthenticnewsofthebattleoffCapeTrafalgar，andthedeathofNelson。CaptainHardywasalive，thoughhisescapehadbeennarrowenough，hisshoe-bucklehavingbeencarriedawaybyashot。ItwasfearedthattheVictoryhadbeenthesceneoftheheaviestslaughteramongalltheshipsengaged，butasyetnoreturnsofkilledandwoundedhadbeenissued，beyondaroughlistofthenumbersinsomeoftheships。
ThesuspenseofthelittlehouseholdinOvercombeMillwasgreatintheextreme。Johncamethitherdailyformorethanaweek；butnofurtherparticularsreachedEnglandtilltheendofthattime，andthenonlythemeagreintelligencethattherehadbeenagaleimmediatelyafterthebattle，andthatmanyoftheprizeshadbeenlost。Annesaidlittletoallthesethings，andpreservedasuperstratumofcalmnessonhercountenance；butsomeinnervoiceseemedtowhispertoherthatBobwasnomore。MillerLovedaydrovetoPos’hamseveraltimestolearniftheCaptain’ssistershadreceivedanymoredefinitetidingsthantheseflyingreports；butthatfamilyhadheardnothingwhichcouldinanywayrelievethemiller’sanxiety。Whenatlast，attheendofNovember，thereappearedafinalandrevisedlistofkilledandwoundedasissuedbyAdmiralCollingwood，itwasauselesssheettotheLovedays。Totheirgreatpainitcontainednonamesbutthoseofofficers，thefriendsofordinaryseamenandmarinesbeinginthosegoodolddayslefttodiscovertheirlossesasbesttheymight。
